Important Questions: Geography as a Discipline | Geography Class 11 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What do you mean by process?
Ans: A process is a sequence of changes systematically related through a chain of causes and effects.

Q2: What is meant by ‘culture’?
Ans: ‘Culture’ is the cumulative product of experiences. It consists of values, processes, beliefs, thoughts, ethical standards, and styles of life and living.

Q3: Name two leading ‘possibilists’.
Ans: They were Vidal dela Blache and Lucien Febvre.

Q4: Who were the discoverers of the unknown lands?
Ans: Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Greeks, and Arabs were the first discoverers of the unknown lands.

Q5: What do you mean by geomorphology?
Ans: It is the science that studies landforms.

Q6: What is called economic geography?
Ans: The discipline dealing with the distribution of economic activities of man which relate to the production of a commodity, its marketing, and distribution is called economic geography.

Q7: What do you understand by Regionalism?
Ans: The process of identifying various regions is known as v regionalism.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q8: What is the relation of geography with other sciences?
Ans: Geography draws its contents from both natural science and social science (sociology, economics, political science). It has also. contributed to them. Hence there are several interdisciplinary’ areas in; geography. For example. Geomorphology is closely linked with. Geology, Economic Geography with Economics, and Bio-geography with life sciences (Botany and Zoology).

Q9: Why did geography become a popular subject in school by the end of the eighteenth century?
Ans: It was because it gave knowledge about the land to prospective migrants, administrators and traders. Gradually, along with the description of places and peoples, explanation for varying responses of people to the natural environment was also presented. Thus, geography emerged as the study of the dynamics of the man-environment relationship and its imprints on the earth’s surface.

Q10: Distinguish between physical geography and biogeography.
Ans: Geography is a spatial science dealing with the distribution of various elements and phenomena over the earth’s surface. When these elements are natural and no one is living they are called physical, e.g. land-form, climate, water, and soil. Accordingly, physical geography has branches like geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soil geography. On the other hand, the life-form or living elements constitute the part of bio-geography. Therefore, the main branches of bio-geography are plant geography, zoo-geography, and human ecology.

Q11: What are the natural and cultural features on the surface of the earth?
Ans: The physical elements which are the outcome of natural processes in action are natural features, such as continents, mountains, rivers, plains, oceans, atmosphere, etc., whereas the elements which are products of human activities are cultural features, e.g., countries, villages, towns, cities, agriculture, industry, means of transport and communication, etc.

Q12: What is Political geography?
Ans: Political geography looks at the space from the angle of political events and studies boundaries, space relations between neighboring political units, delimitations of constituents, and election scenario, and develops a theoretical frame to understand the political behavior of the population.

Q13: What do you mean by Systematic geography?
Ans: A study of a specific natural or cultural phenomenon that gives rise to certain spatial patterns on the earth’s surface is called Systematic geography. There are four branches of systematic geography :

• Physiography
• Biogeography
• Human ecology
• Geographic methods and techniques.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q14: Describe the various branches of geography.
Ans: Today geography is the only discipline that brings all-natural and human sciences on a common platform. It is an interdisciplinary and integrative science having numerous branches :

A. Systematic geography :

• Physiography: Studies the physical aspects of the earth’s surface, as landforms, climate, water, and soil.
• Plant Geography: Studies the distribution of various kinds r- of forests and grasslands. Zoo-geography studies the distribution of animals and micro-organisms. Human ecology studies the changing human-nature relationship and its consequences on human life and living. Environmental geography studies the quality of the living environment and its implications for human welfare.
• Human Geography: Human beings interact with nature and create a great variety of cultural phenomena like villages, Ji towns, cities, countries, factories, roads, houses, etc. The study of location and distribution of all such phenomena falls under the purview of human geography.
• Geographic methods and techniques: Field studies, cartography, quantitation geography, and spatial information system (GIS, LIS, GPS).

B. Regional Geography :

• Regional Studies
• Regional Planning
• Regional Development
• Regional Approach

Q15: How did the Indian scholars contribute to geography in the ancient period?
Ans: Ancient Indian scholars significantly advanced geography through diverse contributions. The Vedas, ancient texts, contained early knowledge about Earth’s features. Mathematical texts like Sulba Sutras laid foundations for cartography. Aryabhata's work in trigonometry enhanced mapmaking precision. During the Mauryan Empire, emissaries’ travels enriched geographical understanding. Indian sailors mastered maritime routes, linking India globally. Texts like Arthashastra integrated geography with governance, reflecting understanding of territories. Varahamihira connected astronomy and geography, exploring celestial influences on Earth. Moreover, ancient Indians demonstrated early environmental awareness, evident in texts like Arthashastra, addressing agriculture and resource management. These contributions not only shaped ancient India’s knowledge but also influenced broader scientific understanding, marking an essential chapter in the history of geography.

Q16: Write a short note on Spatial Information Technology (SIT).
Ans: The last quarter of the 20th century has put geography on a new trajectory of development with SIT as the main source of information and information processing. SIT is concerned with data collection and analysis related to physical space or the surface of the earth with the help of advanced means of information technology, such as remote sensing, aerial photographs, and satellite imageries.
They have enabled geographers to develop geographic information systems (GIS), land information systems (LIS), and global positioning systems (GPS) as location decision administration and managerial tools. Geography in the 21 st century has entered a new era of spatial information technology (SIT). They are going to be used not only in answering the question of what is where and why but also in what should be where and why. They will not only be generating information for decision-making but also will be actively participating in decision-making.

Q17: Discuss two perspectives of study that characterized geography in the twentieth century.
Ans: Geography in the twentieth century became a discipline that studied the earth’s surface from two perspectives systematic and regional. The former produced sub-disciplines like physiography, climate, biography, political geography, economic geography, health geography, etc., while the latter gave rise to regional geography, regional science, regional development, regional planning, area planning, etc.
The first started with systematic knowledge to arrive at regional patterns, while the second started with a region to arrive at systematic details. In both cases, humans remained a central theme i.e., the emphasis of the study being on the impact of systematic processes and regional patterns on humans and their activities.

Q18: What is the importance of Physical geography?
Ans: Physical geography includes the study of the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

• Soils are formed through the process of pedogenesis and depend. upon the parent rocks, climate, biological activity, and time. Time provides maturity to soils and helps in the development of soil profiles. Each element is important for human beings.
• Landforms provide the base on which human activities are located.
• The plains are utilized for agriculture. Plateaus provide forests and minerals. Mountains provide pastures, forests, tourist spots and are sources of rivers providing water to lowlands.
• Climate influences our house types, clothing, and food habits.
• Climate has a profound effect on vegetation, cropping pattern, livestock farming, and some industries, etc.
• Temperature and precipitation ensure the density of forests and the quality of grassland.
• Oceans are the storehouse of resources and are rich in mineral resources, fish, and other seafood.

Soils are renewable resources, which influence a number of economic activities such as agriculture. Physical geography is fast emerging as a discipline for evaluating and managing natural resources.

Q19: Name the various branches of bio-geography. What led to the development of bio-geography?
Ans: Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time. It encompasses various branches that focus on different aspects of the relationships between living organisms and their environments. Some of the key branches of biogeography include:

• Ecological Biogeography: This branch examines the interactions between organisms and their environments. It explores how species adapt to different environmental conditions and ecosystems.
• Historical Biogeography: Historical biogeography investigates the evolutionary history and past distribution patterns of species. It uses techniques like phylogenetic analysis to understand how species have evolved and dispersed over geological time scales.
• Island Biogeography: Island biogeography studies the biodiversity patterns on islands. It explores factors such as island size, distance from the mainland, and immigration/extinction rates to understand species richness and diversity on islands.
• Paleobiogeography: Paleobiogeography deals with the distribution of ancient organisms in the fossil record. It provides insights into the historical distribution of species and how they have changed over geological time.
• Molecular Biogeography: Molecular biogeography involves the study of genetic variation and evolutionary relationships among species. Molecular data, such as DNA sequences, are used to understand the evolutionary history and biogeographical patterns of organisms.
• Community Biogeography: Community biogeography focuses on the composition, structure, and dynamics of ecological communities. It explores how different species coexist and interact within specific habitats.

The development of biogeography can be attributed to several factors:

• Exploration and Discovery: During the age of exploration, naturalists and scientists traveled to different parts of the world, documenting and cataloging species. This led to the accumulation of data on the distribution of plants and animals.
• Evolutionary Theory: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution emphasized the importance of geographical isolation and adaptation in the diversification of species. This theory provided a framework for understanding the distribution patterns of organisms.
• Advancements in Technology: Technological advancements, such as DNA sequencing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), have provided researchers with powerful tools to analyze and model biogeographical data.
• Environmental Concerns: The growing awareness of environmental issues and the need for conservation efforts have emphasized the importance of understanding biodiversity patterns, leading to increased research in biogeography.

These factors, combined with the contributions of scientists and researchers over centuries, have led to the development of biogeography as a multidisciplinary field, enriching our understanding of the complex interactions between living organisms and their environments.

Q20: Write in brief on the geographic methods and techniques.
Ans: Geographic methods and techniques refer to the tools and approaches used by geographers to study and analyze spatial patterns and processes on the Earth's surface. These methods are diverse and encompass various disciplines, including geography, cartography, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Here's a brief overview of some key geographic methods and techniques:
Field Surveys:

• Observation: Direct observation of landscapes, landforms, and human activities to gather firsthand information.
• Interviews and Surveys: Conducting interviews and surveys with local populations to collect data on various geographic phenomena.

Remote Sensing:

• Satellite Imagery: Utilizing satellite data to monitor changes in land cover, vegetation, urban development, and natural disasters.
• Aerial Photography: Capturing images from aircraft to study landscapes and create detailed maps.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS):

• Spatial Analysis: Using GIS software to analyze spatial relationships and patterns, such as proximity, density, and spatial autocorrelation.
• Map Overlay: Layering different maps to identify spatial relationships between various geographic features.

Cartography:

• Map Design: Creating visually effective and informative maps that communicate geographic information clearly.
• Map Projections: Transforming the Earth's curved surface into flat maps, preserving certain properties like area, shape, or distance.

Quantitative Methods:

• Statistical Analysis: Applying statistical techniques to analyze geographic data, such as regression analysis and spatial statistics.
• Mathematical Modeling: Using mathematical models to simulate and predict geographic processes, such as urban growth or population dynamics.

Qualitative Methods:

• Case Studies: In-depth analysis of specific geographic cases to understand unique processes and phenomena.
• Ethnography: Studying cultures and communities in their natural environment to grasp their spatial practices and behaviors.

Geospatial Analysis:

• Network Analysis: Studying transportation and communication networks to optimize routes and analyze connectivity.
• Geocoding: Converting addresses into geographic coordinates for mapping and spatial analysis.

Spatial Data Collection:

• GPS Technology: Using Global Positioning System devices to collect precise location data for mapping and field research.
• Crowdsourcing: Gathering geographic information from a large number of people, often through mobile apps and social media platforms.